A documentary about the lives of two boys who accused Michael Jackson of sexual abuse has been added to this year's Sundance Film Festival lineup.

Leaving Neverland, from producer-director Dan Reed, endeavors to tell the stories of two boys, ages 7 and 10, who began long-running relationships with superstar Michael Jackson at the height of his stardom. Now in their 30s, the pair describe how they were sexually abused by Jackson and how they came to terms with it years later.

Michael Jackson's estate has released a statement in response to the news, blasting the doc as "yet another lurid production in an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in on Michael Jackson."

The following is an additional statement from the Estate to the fan community about the film that was added to the Sundance Film Festival yesterday:

To the fan community: First and foremost, Michael Jackson is our friend. We each have a long history with Michael and are passionate about making sure that the world sees the compassionate, spiritual and extraordinarily talented man that we know. It is our love for Michael that fuels our efforts to both entertain and educate the world about him as an artist and a human being.

It is also why we, as Michael’s friends and fans, are disgusted by the false accusations that continue to be repeated in an attempt to denigrate the reputation of our friend and to cash in on some small interaction with his life.

As we pointed out in our statement to the media last night and which has now been confirmed by others, this newest so-called ‘documentary’ features Wade Robson and James Safechuck – two disgruntled individuals who are admitted liars and who have testified under oath that Michael Jackson never did anything inappropriate to them. They are participating in this project only after their veiled attempts to extort monies from the Estate failed and, thanks to the efforts of the Estate’s legal team, their lawsuits against the Estate were dismissed. This is one more opportunistic attack on Michael’s vast legacy and stellar character by people looking to gain attention and benefit financially. It is pathetic.

Just like you, we want to shut down every single offensive story, documentary, book, and scurrilous accusation. However the Estate has to base its legal actions on what kind of claim it can make in a court of law. The law offers certain protections for Michael’s right of publicity but unfortunately, those protections do not extend to documentaries or other films about him. The Estate cannot sue for these libels and slanders of Michael because the law does not provide for civil lawsuits defaming a deceased person, no matter how malicious the lies about him are.

In most cases, we do have the ability to stop the infringement of copyrights in the materials owned by the Estate . If we find that is the case with this production, then as we did with the program that recently aired on ABC-TV where we filed a suit against Disney, the Estate will pursue those claims. If we file a lawsuit that is not permitted by law and thus we have no chance of winning, all we would be doing is giving these liars a public forum to repeat the false claims that have already been dismissed in court.

We will continue to do everything in our power as executors of the Estate. And fans should too. Voice your outrage to the people that run the Sundance Film Festival, the director/producer, Dan Reed, and/or HBO and UK Channel 4 who helped create this exploitive film . Share your thoughts and feelings. It is a disgrace that they are giving a platform to these to perjurers in a production that calls itself a documentary.

For any fans looking to send emails as suggested by the Estate, here are email addresses for you:

unless this documentary is about how he was found innocent on all charges, how the families admitted they lied and schemed to extort him for his money and how the media crucified an innocent man for the last decade of his life, making him the butt of all jokes, i don’t want it!

unless this documentary is about how he was found innocent on all charges, how the families admitted they lied and schemed to extort him for his money and how the media crucified an innocent man for the last decade of his life, making him the butt of all jokes, i don’t want it!

There's even audio of the first accuser's father talking about how they were going to go after MJ for a big payday. The mother of the 2nd kid had a huge history of scamming people for money.

I'm surprised to see some many defendants, is there really no basis to any of the claims made over the years?I've always been pretty suspicious about Michael's sexuality. No one spends a lifetime without putting it out,especially not a male. So I wonder. Please don't bash, I have no preconceptions, just reasonable doubts.

The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams

I'm surprised to see some many defendants, is there really no basis to any of the claims made over the years?I've always been pretty suspicious about Michael's sexuality. No one spends a lifetime without putting it out,especially not a male. So I wonder. Please don't bash, I have no preconceptions, just reasonable doubts.

It’s very likely he had sex and with more than his first wife. It’s really not our business to know more than that though

I'm surprised to see some many defendants, is there really no basis to any of the claims made over the years?I've always been pretty suspicious about Michael's sexuality. No one spends a lifetime without putting it out,especially not a male. So I wonder. Please don't bash, I have no preconceptions, just reasonable doubts.

It’s very likely he had sex and with more than his first wife. It’s really not our business to know more than that though

I would say it's the entire society's business to know more, if he ever brushed even just one underaged child.Not saying that he actually did, but the settlings out of court have always disturbed me in this particular matter.

The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams

I'm surprised to see some many defendants, is there really no basis to any of the claims made over the years?I've always been pretty suspicious about Michael's sexuality. No one spends a lifetime without putting it out,especially not a male. So I wonder. Please don't bash, I have no preconceptions, just reasonable doubts.

I always thought there was a possibility. I don't think he was the type to force anyone into doing sth but at the same time he clearly didn't know what was appropriate and what wasn't - from that Bashir documentary. I want to believe the victims but then again they come off too strongly as gold diggers. Broke. No career. Dumped from Hollywood-types....I think he was mostly misunderstood but I don't know what happened. we'll never know for sure.

Extortion of Michael Jackson by Evan Chandler

I'm surprised to see some many defendants, is there really no basis to any of the claims made over the years?I've always been pretty suspicious about Michael's sexuality. No one spends a lifetime without putting it out,especially not a male. So I wonder. Please don't bash, I have no preconceptions, just reasonable doubts.

I always thought there was a possibility. I don't think he was the type to force anyone into doing sth but at the same time he clearly didn't know what was appropriate and what wasn't - from that Bashir documentary. I want to believe the victims but then again they come off too strongly as gold diggers. Broke. No career. Dumped from Hollywood-types....I think he was mostly misunderstood but I don't know what happened. we'll never know for sure.

[Edited 1/12/19 18:08pm]

It always amazes me that people watched the same Bashit documentary that I did and didn’t hear Michael say that he gave the kid HIS bed, but that he (Michael)slept on the floor. There were also other people in the room- Michael’s son- Prince, Michael’s assistant- Frank Cassio and the accuser’s brother. These are things that were also brought out during the trial. Is there any wonder that a jury didn’t believe this bullshit that the accuser spewed?It really doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this accuser was a liar and and this was an extortion attempt from him and his mother. All you have to do is read the transcript of the trial and anyone with even a semblance of common sense and deductive reasoning skills would have to come to the same conclusion as the 13 jurors did when they voted NOT GUILTY on every count. These were 13 conservative jurors who saw through the accuser’s lies. Anyone who would believe that Michael would abuse someone with his own son in the room, as well as 2 other people, is pretty stupid and dumb. It was ridiculous and these jurors knew it. I almost forgot to mention that this kid had cancer and it was his wish to meet Michael. Thus the reason that his FAMILY was invited to Neverland.
[Edited 1/12/19 21:30pm]*
[Edited 1/12/19 21:36pm][Edited 1/12/19 21:37pm][Edited 1/12/19 21:38pm][Edited 1/12/19 21:41pm]

I'm surprised to see some many defendants, is there really no basis to any of the claims made over the years?I've always been pretty suspicious about Michael's sexuality. No one spends a lifetime without putting it out,especially not a male. So I wonder. Please don't bash, I have no preconceptions, just reasonable doubts.

It’s very likely he had sex and with more than his first wife. It’s really not our business to know more than that though

I would say it's the entire society's business to know more, if he ever brushed even just one underaged child.Not saying that he actually did, but the settlings out of court have always disturbed me in this particular matter.

Are you crazy? You stated no ones goes a lifetime without putting it out. That implies sex. Sex is consensual. If he did anything to a child(I don’t think so), then that’s rape. Some of you guys tell on yourselves. I can’t believe you’d equate MJ having sex at some point in his life to the rape of a child. Just sick!

I remember a juror interview that claimed the majority did believe the accusations, but had to acquit because there was no proof. I personally believe in his innocence, so don't bark at me. But it's lying to say that they all saw through the lies. This documentary is going to be supported by metoo/timesup, and the fans need to prepare.

I remember a juror interview that claimed the majority did believe the accusations, but had to acquit because there was no proof. I personally believe in his innocence, so don't bark at me. But it's lying to say that they all saw through the lies. This documentary is going to be supported by metoo/timesup, and the fans need to prepare.

That’s not true. The majority of the jurors said that they did NOT believe the accuser. They said that his testimony was not believable. They said that the mother was really the one that convinced the entire jury that she was lying as well as the accuser. These people were grifters, pure and simple. They tried to shaft Jay Leno and Chris Tucker. Both of these men testified at the trial. Chris Tucker testified that he told Michael that there was something suspicious about this family. After that Michael distanced himself from the family and wouldn’t be around them at all. The jury said that the accuser seemed angry on the witness stand that Michael did NOT want to be around him. He testified that Michael was never at Neverland. This attitude raised alarm bells with the jury. This accuser didn’t seem mad about some so-called “abuse”, he was mad because Michael did not want to be around him anymore or his family.Do you know that Michael was accused of kidnapping this grifter family? This case was bullshit from beginning to end. There was PROOF that these accuser’s were lying. The reason Michael was found not guilty on ALL charges, He was INNOCENTOf all charges, and there was proof.

Having reasonable doubts about mj is hardly a stretch for the average person.

But for many fans it’s an irrefutable fact that he was innocent, when really, they don’t have a clue. Just as I don’t know if he was innocent or guilty either.

I don’t know of a single fan who supported/supports Michael just because we love him. WE went by FACTS and evidence. We followed every testimony, transcript,etc.
Yes, we have a clue. Michael’s fans are not just a bunch of teenagers blindly following him. We are lawyers, educators, doctors, professionals, etc. who know how to follow evidence. We are also regular people who are not blinded by tabloid gossip, hearsay, and innuendo. We follow the facts and evidence. FTR, one of false accusers, Wade Robson, who is involved in this “docu”, testified on the witness stand that Michael never did anything inappropriate to him. This the person who could have sent Michael to jail, if he had really been abused. The prosecution called Robson to be a witness. This is one of the people that the jury said convinced them the most that Michael was innocent. This is the person who choreographed Janet’s tribute to Michael after he was murdered, and continued doing tributes to Michael on his own.

Robson is the one who praised Michael as the person who inspired him the most. Robson called Michael a friend for two decades.Robson invited Michael and his kids to a Bar B Q a few months before Michael was killed. The sudden “abuse” claims came only after Robson was not chosen to be the choreographer of the Immortal shows. Robson suddenly had repressed memory that he had been “abused”. He tried to extort 1 billion from Michael’s estate last year and a judge threw it out.He didn’t get that money; therefore, we have this docu scam to get paid.Robson is having financial problems, and it’s a damn shame that he can defame and lie on a man who is no longer here to defend himself, solely for the sake of $$$.
[Edited 1/13/19 4:10am][Edited 1/13/19 4:16am][Edited 1/13/19 4:20am]

I would say it's the entire society's business to know more, if he ever brushed even just one underaged child.Not saying that he actually did, but the settlings out of court have always disturbed me in this particular matter.

Are you crazy? You stated no ones goes a lifetime without putting it out. That implies sex. Sex is consensual. If he did anything to a child(I don’t think so), then that’s rape. Some of you guys tell on yourselves. I can’t believe you’d equate MJ having sex at some point in his life to the rape of a child. Just sick!

You're projecting. I said every normal (define "normal" anyway) adult has a sexual life of some kind at some point.We do know very little about Michael's, and it's fine, but what transpired sure can be used against Michael by accusers.From his awkward body language with Brooke Shields and Lisa Marie Presley, having children from a womanpaid/employed to that purpose, it doesn't bode well for presenting MJ as someone with no problems at all in that compartment.

The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams

I'm surprised to see some many defendants, is there really no basis to any of the claims made over the years?I've always been pretty suspicious about Michael's sexuality. No one spends a lifetime without putting it out,especially not a male. So I wonder. Please don't bash, I have no preconceptions, just reasonable doubts.

Between the time of the lawsuits being filed in 2014 and them being thrown out in 2017, more information came out that made the accusations pretty unbelievable.

It's reasonable to have doubts but it would be a good idea to check out the information available

Here is MJ's defense attorney a few years ago in relation to the 2005 trial (in which one of the subjects of this documentary testified under oath that he wasn't molested)

legal journalist Linda Deutsch

[Edited 1/13/19 5:32am]

"We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world."

I would say it's the entire society's business to know more, if he ever brushed even just one underaged child.Not saying that he actually did, but the settlings out of court have always disturbed me in this particular matter.

Are you crazy? You stated no ones goes a lifetime without putting it out. That implies sex. Sex is consensual. If he did anything to a child(I don’t think so), then that’s rape. Some of you guys tell on yourselves. I can’t believe you’d equate MJ having sex at some point in his life to the rape of a child. Just sick!

You're projecting. I said every normal (define "normal" anyway) adult has a sexual life of some kind at some point.We do know very little about Michael's, and it's fine, but what transpired sure can be used against Michael by accusers.From his awkward body language with Brooke Shields and Lisa Marie Presley, having children from a womanpaid/employed to that purpose, it doesn't bode well for presenting MJ as someone with no problems at all in that compartment.

Man, you really have been brainwashed by tabloid/media lies!What awkard body language with Brooke Shields? Every single photo of Michael and Brooke Shields together, they were smiling and happy. It was also obvious that Michael and Lisa Marie were a couple and happy. In fact, one of Elvis associates said that he had never seen Lisa Marie happier than when she was with Michael. After she and Michael divorced, Lisa did everything she could to get him back, and it didn’t work. Michael did an interview with TVGuide and admitted that Lisa told him, she wished that she had given birth to his son, Prince. Michael didn’t pay Debbie to have his children, she offered to have his children when Lisa decided that she wasn’t ready.Btw, Lisa publicly declared that she was ready to start a family with Michael. Lisa knew that Michael wanted to have children.She deceived Michael and he turned to Debbie, who was with him BEFORE Lisa Marie. Debbie loved Michael and wanted to have his children. Debbie had a miscarriage with her and Michael’s first child. This is before she and Michael married. Let’s not forget that she was Michael’s WIFE when his first son,Prince Michael,was born. Of course, the tabloids lied and said that he paid her to have his children. He didn’t have to pay Debbie, she wanted him to have children and she has always been vocal about that. When they divorced, she received a divorce settlement, just as every other spouse does. This had crap to do with him paying her to have his children.Why try to act as if Michael and Debbie were different with their divorce any other couple?

You're projecting. I said every normal (define "normal" anyway) adult has a sexual life of some kind at some point.We do know very little about Michael's, and it's fine, but what transpired sure can be used against Michael by accusers.From his awkward body language with Brooke Shields and Lisa Marie Presley, having children from a womanpaid/employed to that purpose, it doesn't bode well for presenting MJ as someone with no problems at all in that compartment.

Man, you really have been brainwashed by tabloid/media lies!What awkard body language with Brooke Shields? Every single photo of Michael and Brooke Shields together, they were smiling and happy. It was also obvious that Michael and Lisa Marie were a couple and happy. In fact, one of Elvis associates said that he had never seen Lisa Marie happier than when she was with Michael. After she and Michael divorced, Lisa did everything she could to get him back, and it didn’t work. Michael did an interview with TVGuide and admitted that Lisa told him, she wished that she had given birth to his son, Prince. Michael didn’t pay Debbie to have his children, she offered to have his children when Lisa decided that she wasn’t ready.Btw, Lisa publicly declared that she was ready to start a family with Michael. Lisa knew that Michael wanted to have children.She deceived Michael and he turned to Debbie, who was with him BEFORE Lisa Marie. Debbie loved Michael and wanted to have his children. Debbie had a miscarriage with her and Michael’s first child. This is before she and Michael married. Let’s not forget that she was Michael’s WIFE when his first son,Prince Michael,was born. Of course, the tabloids lied and said that he paid her to have his children. He didn’t have to pay Debbie, she wanted him to have children and she has always been vocal about that. When they divorced, she received a divorce settlement, just as every other spouse does. This had crap to do with him paying her to have his children.Why try to act as if Michael and Debbie were different with their divorce any other couple?

Calm down, no one is brainwashed. You seem to know your subject and I am listening to you.I just point out how easy it is for the general public and opinion to join the angry crowd.Usually, an adult only sleeps with children when there's just one room available, and circumstances force the situation.

I personally do not deny Michael's the possiblity of purity of intention, but as a sane (define "sane") adult with kids I would frown, and that's an euphemism, upon another adult sleeping repeatedly with one of my children. Sexual relationships or not, it just doesn't compute, and provide a justifiable basis for documentaries such as this one.

If Joe and Katherine fucked with his mind to such extent he felt compelled to regress into childhood or adolescent behaviours,any entourage not perverted by money and prestige would have advised a long-term pyschoanalysis and therapy.But here we seem to have the usual yes-men and enablers, and, while we are very far from the R. Kelly's situation,it's still disturbing to think many people didn't blink at a grown-up adult going to bed with kids, clothed or not,playing innocently or not. There is clearly a huge distortion caused by fame and power here.

The Colors R brighter, the Bond is much tighter
No Child's a failure
Until the Blue Sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't Ever Lose, Don't Ever Lose
Don't Ever Lose Your Dreams

You're projecting. I said every normal (define "normal" anyway) adult has a sexual life of some kind at some point.We do know very little about Michael's, and it's fine, but what transpired sure can be used against Michael by accusers.From his awkward body language with Brooke Shields and Lisa Marie Presley, having children from a womanpaid/employed to that purpose, it doesn't bode well for presenting MJ as someone with no problems at all in that compartment.

Man, you really have been brainwashed by tabloid/media lies!What awkard body language with Brooke Shields? Every single photo of Michael and Brooke Shields together, they were smiling and happy. It was also obvious that Michael and Lisa Marie were a couple and happy. In fact, one of Elvis associates said that he had never seen Lisa Marie happier than when she was with Michael. After she and Michael divorced, Lisa did everything she could to get him back, and it didn’t work. Michael did an interview with TVGuide and admitted that Lisa told him, she wished that she had given birth to his son, Prince. Michael didn’t pay Debbie to have his children, she offered to have his children when Lisa decided that she wasn’t ready.Btw, Lisa publicly declared that she was ready to start a family with Michael. Lisa knew that Michael wanted to have children.She deceived Michael and he turned to Debbie, who was with him BEFORE Lisa Marie. Debbie loved Michael and wanted to have his children. Debbie had a miscarriage with her and Michael’s first child. This is before she and Michael married. Let’s not forget that she was Michael’s WIFE when his first son,Prince Michael,was born. Of course, the tabloids lied and said that he paid her to have his children. He didn’t have to pay Debbie, she wanted him to have children and she has always been vocal about that. When they divorced, she received a divorce settlement, just as every other spouse does. This had crap to do with him paying her to have his children.Why try to act as if Michael and Debbie were different with their divorce any other couple?

Calm down, no one is brainwashed. You seem to know your subject and I am listening to you.I just point out how easy it is for the general public and opinion to join the angry crowd.Usually, an adult only sleeps with children when there's just one room available, and circumstances force the situation.

I personally do not deny Michael's the possiblity of purity of intention, but as a sane (define "sane") adult with kids I would frown, and that's an euphemism, upon another adult sleeping repeatedly with one of my children. Sexual relationships or not, it just doesn't compute, and provide a justifiable basis for documentaries such as this one.

If Joe and Katherine fucked with his mind to such extent he felt compelled to regress into childhood or adolescent behaviours,any entourage not perverted by money and prestige would have advised a long-term pyschoanalysis and therapy.But here we seem to have the usual yes-men and enablers, and, while we are very far from the R. Kelly's situation,it's still disturbing to think many people didn't blink at a grown-up adult going to bed with kids, clothed or not,playing innocently or not. There is clearly a huge distortion caused by fame and power here.

I find it very unusual for a person who has ulterior motives to ADMIT that children share his/her room. The fact that Michael was open about how children would love to come to his room, which was 2 levels and the size of a small apartment, didn’t bother me. The fact that girls, boys, mothers, etc. were welcomed there didn’t cause any alarm with rational thinking people. There have been many high profile girls and boys who have admitted that they have been in Michael’s room and that NOTHING bad ever happened. The media turned everything perverted by claiming that only boys were in his bedroom.His bedroom was filled with every arcade game imaginable and kids wanted to come in. Michael ALWAYS asked the parents permission before he allowed any child to come in. Maybe Michael trusted people too much, and it’s sad that these families betrayed that trust, in order to extort $$$ from him. The bottomline is that Michael didn’t “go to bed” with these children. They asked to come to his room, with parents’ permission, in order to play games. Children have said that they would play games. Sometimes, they would fall asleep on Michael’s bed, floor, sofa, etc. No one was under covers together. Out of the hundreds of kids who visited Neverland, it is extremely strange that only a few and their parents falsely accused Michael for money. REAL pedophiles are not selective! They don’t abuse one or two children every 5 or 10 years. REAL pedophiles have dozens of victims. I am 1000% positive that Michael never abused any of these accuser’s. MJ fans have the research to prove our belief that Michael is INNOCENT. Until someone has evidence to challenge that research and facts, these accuser’s are liars.
[Edited 1/13/19 6:39am][Edited 1/13/19 7:02am]